Automatic type-writer-operating mechanism.



Wi S. FERNE.

- AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATING MECHANISM.

AIPLIUATION FILED 33.27, 1914.,

1,1 15,294. Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

l l l I i I I l 'W'ILHELM S. FER NE, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE-WRITER-OPERATING MECHANISM;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914,

Application filed February 27, 1914. Serial No. 821,490.

5'0 all whom itm-ag concern Be it known that I, lViLI-IELM STEFAN Farms, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Pittsfield,in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Type-vVrifiner-Operating Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of theini ention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it'appertains to make and use the same.

The primary object of this invention is to provide automatic mechanical means for operating the keys of a typewriter, so that typewritten letters and other papers may be produced in quantities without the labors of a typist.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide automatic operating means of this nature, including a perforated strip of paper which is wound from one roll to another, to operate a plurality of levers corresponding in number to the keys of the typewriter, said levers setting into actuation mechanism to drive hammers which depress the keys.

\Vith these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the descri'p tion proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and cl a imed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my mechanical operating means, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail of a portion of the mechanism to be herein-v after more fully described.

Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals,'l designates the side plates of a supporting frame of any desired constrnction, which is arranged in front of the typewriter to be operated. a portion only of the typewriter being illustrated. having the keys 2. A shaft 3 extends transve sely between the side plates land supports" rigidly a plurality of ratchet disln: 4- corresponding in number to the keys of a typewriter. The shaft is continuously revolved in a clockwise direction by any suitable means, such as a belt 5 driven by a motor 6 and runningtal plane. Each hammer has pivotally secured to one side adjacent its inner end, a' pawl 11 having a tooth engaging arm 12 and a releasing arm 13. \Yhen the arm 12 is thrown into engagement with the corre- 'sponding ratchet disk 4:, the outer end of the hammer will be thrown downwardly to depress one of the typewriter keys. Each pawl is provided centrally of its ends with a tooth 1 having oppositely inclined faces which are alternately engaged by a spring 15, so the pawl may be locked either in its operative or moperative position.

16 designates an inclined transverse strip extending between the side plates 1 adjacent to the ratchet disks 4 to engage the pawl releasing arm 13 and swing the pawl from ongagement with the ratchet teeth so that the depressed key will be released and returned to its raised position.

The pawls 11 are engaged with the teeth of the disks 4 by means of a plurality of lever 17 supported for oscillatory movement on a transverse horizontal shaft. The inner arms 18 of the levers are curved downwardly and inwardly under theinner terniinals of the hammers 8, and when swung upwardly a slight distance, come in contact with the teeth engaging arms 12 and pawls 11 to swing said arms in engagement with the teeth of the disks 4.

The action of the levers 17 is-controlled by a strip of-properly perforated paper 19 which is wound from a spool 20 onto a spool :21. These spools are supported on transverse horizontal shafts having'their terminals extended through openings formed in the side plates 1. The roll or spool 21 is driven so as to Wind the paper thereon from the spool 20 by a belt 22 from the motor '6 running arounda pulley 23. This paper. slides across a bar or'plate 24 formed with letters or a series of openings 25 arranged dircctlv under the outer end of the levers l7, and springs 26 connected at their inner ends to the shaft 1.8 and at their outer ends to said levers to force them toward the openings.

Having described the construction of my automatic or mechanical operating in chanism for typewriters, I will now explain the operation thereof.

The paper 19 is first perforated, by any desired and suitable means, so to cause the lever 17 to be operated in proper sequence to insure a similar operation of the typewriter keys. As the paper winds upon the spool 21, the apertures therein register with the openings 25 in the side bar 24, and Whenever two such openings come in registration, the correspondirig lever 17 is forced thereinto bv-its spring 2h, thus raising the inner end of the lever and bringing it into contzu-t with the li'lcrdJfllltllil f' pawl 11. The engagement of the lever 1t with the pawl, swings the tooth engaging arm of the latter into igifflgf'" of the ratchet di tinuouslv revolv up- 'ii' the hami he);-

gaggeinent with the tenth of the i'iitiillfii: disk and the typewriter hey raise, returning the hannner in its nnrnml iti n ready for the next ope From the I ing' (iQr'CllPllUIl taken in connection with he aewmpauying drawings, it will be apparent that l have 'pr0- 'ided a ver simple and practical automatic typewriter operating; mechanism which will save the expense of a 't'ypist and make it pose sible to produce at a minimum. amount of time and expense. :1 great number of form printed matter of other natures. While 1 have shown. and described the preferred emlmdinient of my invention, it will be llfh'lfil'fr'htflfli that. minor changes in construction, cmnbination and arrane'cment of parts may be made without dopartiiu from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim.

1. In a device of the character described,

horizontaldriven. shaft, a. plurality of toothed disk, and a stop for swinging said pawl out of engagement with the disk.

3. In a typewriter operating" mechanism, a driven shaft, a toothed disk rigidly secured to said t, a key engaging hammer jourdiv iednltc its ends on said shaft, a

l w l .1211 *ied by the hammer, a lever to '."1li1 said pawl into locking engagement with the (ilkmeans for releasing said pawl from lo 'king engagement with the disk.

4.- In a. typewriter operating mechanism of the character described, a driven shaft, .1 toothed disk rigidly secured to said shaft, a kcv engaginglhammer journaled intermediate its ends to said shaft, means for lockint; the hamn'ier to revolve with the dish, a pivoted spring pressed lever for throwing said means: into operative pe tion, a perforated strip to actuate said lever, and means for rendering said first mentioned means inoperative. v

in testimony whereof-l ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WlLHll M S. FERNE.

llitnesses l '1' Mn M. Cir-wan,

Asses (,l. FOLEY. 

